Actor Dearon Thompson, better known as Deezer D, is recovering in a Los Angeles hospital after enduring six hours of major heart surgery.

The 44-year-old Thompson, who played Nurse Malik McGrath for 15 years on NBC’s ER, faced the possibility of dying without the procedure, which fixed a leaking heart valve and replaced his aorta.

He is currently being monitored in the intensive care unit, with a source telling RadarOnline.com, “It’s the watch-and-wait period now but if all goes well, he’ll be moved to a regular floor for another seven days.

“Once his cardiologist gives the all-clear, he’ll be home – but with no more cigars and no strenuous exercise for awhile.”

Thompson began making a name for himself before he landed the ER gig, appearing alongside Chris Rock in 1993’s CB4, in addition to a number of other big screen projects and television shows.